Mandatory Activity

To Investigate the Influence of Light Intensity on the Rate of Photosynthesis

Textbook Diagram: set up of the investigation.
Place a funnel over Elodea, pondweed, in a beaker of pond water at 2!".
The funnel is raised off the bottom on pieces of blue#tack. This allows continuous free
diffusion of "$2 to Elodea.
%nvert a test tube full of water over the stem of the funnel to collect an& gas from the Elodea.
Place the beaker on a hot plate at 2!".
'aintain and monitor the temperature of the water with a thermometer.
Excess sodium bicarbonate is placed in the water to give a constant saturated solution of
"$2.
Place the lamp (the onl& light source) at a predetermined distance from the plant.
*se a light meter to measure the light intensit& at this distance. +ecord the light intensit&.
,llow the plant five minutes to ad-ust to the new conditions.
"ount the number of ox&gen bubbles given off b& the plant in a five#minute period.
+epeat the count twice more and calculate the average of the three readings. This is the rate
of photos&nthesis at that particular light intensit&.
The gas should be checked to prove that it is indeed ox&gen . it relights a glowing splint.
+epeat at different light intensities b& moving the lamp to different distances.
+un a control: identical set up but at a constant light intensit&.
+esult: no change in the rate of photos&nthesis.
"onclusion: change in light intensit& causes a change in the rate of photos&nthesis.
/raph the results placing light intensit& on the x#axis.
0ote: make sure &ou know the shape of this graph and are able to interpret it.
Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis
Practical activity on the syllabus # investigate the influence of light intensit& or carbon dioxide on
the arte of phots&nthesis.
Testing A Leaf For Starch # The 12%331 experiment: 2ill, %ntoxicate, 3often, 3tain.
Place the leaf in boiling water # kills the leaf stopping all biochemical activit& and breaks open
the cells making easier the removal of chloroph&ll and the entr& of iodine stain.
Place the leaf in boiling alcohol # this removes the green chloroph&ll from the leaf and so the
colour of the iodine stain, when added to the leaf, can be clearl& seen.
The alcohol is not to be heated b& a 4unsen flame. 5eat the alcohol in a water bath of ver&
hot water.
Place the leaf into boiling water # alcohol made the leaf brittle and unreceptive to the iodine
stain, the alcohol is replaced with water softening the leaf.
,ppl& iodine solution to the leaf # to check for the presence or absence of starch.
%. , blue#black colour indicates starch is present (iodine enters the spiral starch
molecule changing its colour).
%%. , &ellow#brown, the colour of the iodine solution, indicates that starch is absent.
Evidence of Photosynthesis
The ma-or test for photos&nthesis in school laboratories is b& showing starch formation. The formation
of starch can onl& be trul& demonstrated b& using a plant whose leaves do not have starch. The de#
starching of plant leaves is done to deprive the plant of light for at least 26 hours.
1 To sho! that Light is necessary for Photosynthesis
,. Place a plant in darkness for at least 26 hours # this de#starches the leaves.
Test a leaf with iodine to verif& that de#starching was successful.
4. "over part of a number of leaves with lightproof material.
"overed part of the leaf is the control # no light.
*sing a number of leaves, repeat the experiment to verif& the results.
". Place the plant into good light for six hours at room temperature (27!").
/ood light and warm temperature: to give a high rate of photos&nthesis.
3ix hours: There will be plent& of excess glucose for storage as starch.
D. Test the leaves for starch using iodine.
Results"
8ight: exposed parts 99 blue#black with iodine 99 starch present 99 photos&nthesis occurred.
0o 8ight: covered parts 99 &ellow#brown with iodine 99 starch absent 99 photos&nthesis did not take
place.
Therefore, light is necessar& as photos&nthesis onl& occurs when it is present.
# To sho! that $arbon %io&ide is necessary for Photosynthesis
,. Place a plant in darkness for at least 26 hours # this de#starches the leaves.
Test a leaf with iodine to verif& that de#starching was successful.
4. "over some leaves with a clear plastic bag containing some water.
"lear plastic so light will be available to each leaf.
"arbon dioxide is available to these leaves # there is carbon dioxide in the air inside the bag.
". "over other leaves with a clear plastic bag containing some sodium h&droxide solution.
3odium h&droxide absorbs carbon dioxide from the air.
These leaves will be the controls # no carbon dioxide.
D. Place the plant into good light for six hours at room temperature (27!").
/ood light and warm temperature: to give a high rate of photos&nthesis.
3ix hours: so there will be plent& of excess glucose for storage as starch.
E. Test the leaves for starch using iodine.
Results"
"arbon dioxide present 99 blue#black with iodine 99 starch present99 photos&nthesis occurred.
0o carbon dioxide 99 &ellow#brown with iodine 99 starch absent 99 photos&nthesis did not take place.
Therefore, carbon dioxide is necessar&, as photos&nthesis onl& occurs when it is present.
' To sho! the effect of varying the Light Intensity on the Rate of Photosynthesis
,. Place a funnel over Elodea, pondweed, in a beaker of freshwater at 2!".
The funnel is raised off the bottom on pieces of blue#tack to allow unhampered diffusion of
"$2 to Elodea.
4. %nvert a test tube full of water over the stem of the funnel to collect an& gas from the Elodea.
". Place the beaker on a hot plate at 2!" to maintain and monitor the temperature of the
water with a thermometer.
D. Excess sodium bicarbonate is placed in the water to give a constant saturated solution of
"$2.
E. Place the lamp (the onl& light source) at predetermined distance from the plant.
:. *se a light meter to measure the light intensit& at this distance. +ecord the light intensit&.
/. ,llow the plant five minutes to ad-ust to the new conditions.
5. "ount the number of ox&gen bubbles given off b& the plant in a five#minute period.
+epeat the count twice more and calculate the average of the three readings.
This is the rate of photos&nthesis at that particular light intensit&.
The gas should be checked to prove that it is indeed ox&gen # relights a glowing splint.
%. +epeat at different light intensities b& moving the lamp to different distances.
/raph the results placing light intensit& on the x#axis.
( To sho! the effect of varying the $arbon %io&ide on the Rate of Photosynthesis
,. Place a funnel over Elodea, pondweed, in a beaker of freshwater at 2!".
The funnel is raised off the bottom on pieces of blue#tack to allow unhampered diffusion of
"$2 to Elodea.
4. %nvert a test tube full of water over the stem of the funnel to collect an& gas from the Elodea.
". Place the lamp (the onl& light source) at a fixed distance from the plant # check its constanc&
with a light meter.
D. The temperature is 27!" # room temperature; thermostaticall& controlled room#heating
s&stem.
E. Excess sodium bicarbonate is placed in the water to give a constant saturated solution of
"$2.
:. ,llow the plant five minutes to ad-ust to the new conditions.
/. "ount the number of ox&gen bubbles given off b& the plant in a five#minute period.
+epeat the count twice more and calculate the average of the three readings.
This is the rate of photos&nthesis at that particular temperature.
The gas should be checked to prove that it is indeed ox&gen # relights a glowing splint.
5. +epeat at different lower carbon dioxide concentrations b& using different dilutions of a
saturated solution.
%. /raph the results placing carbon dioxide concentration on the x#axis.
The syllabus also re)uires you to *no!"
5uman intervention: use of artificial light and carbon dioxide enrichment to promote crop growth in
greenhouses.
Lin*s
Experiments to show light and carbon dioxide in photos&nthesis # it also shows some diagrams and
pictures of the effects of these experiments on leaves.
http:<<web.ukonline.co.uk<webwise<spinneret<plants<psfac2.htm
This is the same idea as the last and from the same site # this time showing chloroph&ll.
http:<<web.ukonline.co.uk<webwise<spinneret<plants<psfac=.htm
>ou can look this up during &our break from stud& # a different kind of approach to photos&nthesis.
,nswers to such ?uestions as 1in what &ear was it discovered that green plants take carbon dioxide
out of the air and put ox&gen in@1
http:<<pcA.frontier.osrhe.edu<hs<science<botphoto.htm